Glow Better Instant Cover Green Sunscreen SPF 43 Pa++
82/100 overall score
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About this sunscreen
Glow Better Instant Cover Green Sunscreen SPF 43 PA++ is a hybrid sunscreen combining avobenzone, octocrylene, and salicylates with modern triazines and titanium dioxide, using a green tint to counter redness. It dries to a matte finish with low white cast and a lightweight feel, and it does not generally sting. Protection is rated excellent and pore-clogging risk is low, with okay makeup compatibility. Its score of 82.4/100 makes it a strong matte daily option.
Ingredient & SPF scores
☀️
UV protection
Excellent
95
- +28.5 Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane at #4, UV filter (UVA1 +15.2)
- +15.2 Octocrylene at #5, UV filter
- +6.4 Ethylhexyl Salicylate at #12, UV filter
- +28.8 Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine at #14, UV filter (UVA1 +9.6)
- +19.8 Titanium Dioxide at #17, UV filter (UVA1 +3)
- +28.8 Methylene Bis-Benzotriazolyl Tetramethylbutylphenol at #19, UV filter (UVA1 +10.8)
- −15.8 UVB coverage saturated
- −18.1 UVA2 coverage saturated
- +1 Label claims (SPF 43)
☢️
Health safety
High
67
- +100 Starting score
- −30 Octocrylene at #5 (regulatory/evidence concern)
- −3.5 Avobenzone at #4, stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
🤧
Allergens
Low
97
- +100 Starting score
- −3 Photoallergen-tail UV filters (Octocrylene)
👻
White cast
Low
95
- +100 Starting score
- −6 Titanium Dioxide at #17
- −2 Titanium Dioxide as pigment (CI 77891) at #36
- −3 Tinosorb M at #19
- +5.5 Iron-oxide undertone, partial masking
🔥
Eye sting
Low
66
- +100 Starting score
- −16 Avobenzone at #4, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, migrates into eyes with sweat
- −3 Octisalate at #12, migrates into eyes with sweat
🪨
Heavy feel
Low
94
- +100 Starting score
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #17
- −5 Cetyl Alcohol at #6, rich gel-network thickener
- +1.1 Volatile hydrocarbon at #3, flashes off
🍄
Fungal acne
Low
82
- +100 Starting score
- −9 1 oils/butters that feed Malassezia (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil)
- −9 1 long-chain (C12+) esters that feed Malassezia (Steareth-20)
- +0 Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride at #2, a safe base that does not feed Malassezia
👕
Fabric stains
High
0
- +100 Starting score
- −45 Avobenzone at #4, reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
- −15 Octocrylene at #5, co-stains alongside avobenzone
- −10 Avobenzone + Octocrylene, the classic staining pair
- −40 Iron-oxide pigments at #37, makeup-like collar marks (washable)
- −2 Titanium Dioxide at #17, white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
- +12 Penalties exceed the scale, floored at 0
💧
Moisture
Hydrating
LightNourishing
- ← 3 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Talc)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- → 10 Glycerin at #7, the anchor humectant
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil)
- → 4 Light emollient/solvent (Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride)
- → 1.5 2 fatty-alcohol emollients (Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol)
✨
Finish
Matte
MatteDewy
- ← 2 2 sebum-absorbing powders (Silica, Talc)
- ← 7 Volatile carriers flash off, leaving a dry finish
- ← 2 2 dry-touch emollients reduce greasy shine (Isononyl Isononanoate, Diethylhexyl Carbonate)
- → 1 1 emollient lipids (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil)
💄
Makeup base
Okay
PillsPrimer
- → 4 Quick-setting carrier, fast, even canvas
- → 2 Dry-touch esters, smooth fast-absorbing base
- ← 1.5 Humectant syrup tackiness (partly offset by the base)
🌊
Water resistance
Not resistant
Non-water-resistantWater-resistant
- +3 1 film-forming polymers that lock the formula on for water resistance
Skincare extras
Beneficial actives this formula contains. Informational only, not part of the rating: their effect depends on a concentration the label does not disclose.
- ✨ Centella asiatica
Full ingredient list (40)
What each ingredient does and how it moves each rating: green helps, red hurts, ↑ / ↓ give the direction, and ← / → shift a slider toward its ends (finish, moisture, makeup base). Auto-derived from our scoring rules and the ingredient's position.
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1 Water
Solvent base, the water phase
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- 4 → nourishing light emollient
-
Volatile hydrocarbon, flashes off for a light finish
- light ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
- matte ← 7 volatile carrier, flashes off
-
Legacy UV filter (Avobenzone)
- ↑ 28.5 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↓ 3.5 stacked (regulatory/evidence concern)
- ↑ 16 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 45 reacts with iron in wash water into rust-yellow stains
-
Legacy UV filter (Octocrylene)
- ↑ 15.2 UV protection
- ↑ 15 migrates into eyes with sweat
- ↑ 15 co-stains alongside avobenzone
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- ↑ 5 rich gel-network thickener
- 1 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
7 Glycerin
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
- 10 → nourishing the anchor humectant
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Fatty alcohol, an emollient and thickener, not the drying kind
- 0.5 → nourishing fatty-alcohol emollient
-
Emollient, softens and smooths skin
- matte ← 1 dry-touch emollient, anti-shine
-
Legacy UV filter (Octisalate), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 6.4 UV protection
- ↑ 3 migrates into eyes with sweat
-
Soothing, skin-conditioning active
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb S), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
15 Silica
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
16 Steareth-20
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Mineral UV filter (Titanium Dioxide), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 19.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
- ↑ 2 white marks, worst on dark fabric (washable)
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
Modern UV filter, broad-spectrum and photostable (Tinosorb M), low in the list, likely a minor contributor
- ↑ 28.8 UV protection, incl. long-UVA (UVA1)
-
20 Talc
Mattifying powder, absorbs oil and blurs the finish
- light ← 1.5 sebum-absorbing powder
- matte ← 1 sebum-absorbing powder
-
21 Propanediol
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Plant oil, an emollient
- 1 → nourishing emollient lipid
- 1 → dewy emollient lipid
- ↑ 9 feeds malassezia
-
Plant oil, an emollient
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
26 Xanthan Gum
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
27 Mica
Colorant or pigment
-
Emulsifier, keeps oil and water blended
-
Supporting ingredient
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
- ↑ 3 film former
-
Chelator, binds stray metal ions to keep the formula stable
-
Thickener and texture, structures the gel or cream
-
33 Sucrose
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
34 Tocopherol
Antioxidant, protects the formula and skin
-
Humectant, pulls water into the skin
-
Colorant or pigment
-
37 Ci 77492
Colorant or pigment
- ↑ 40 makeup-like collar marks (washable)
-
38 Ci 77491
Colorant or pigment
-
39 Ci 77499
Colorant or pigment
-
40 Ci 42090
Colorant or pigment
Is the Glow Better Instant Cover Green Sunscreen SPF 43 Pa++ good for oily or acne-prone skin?
Yes, it dries to a matte finish with a low pore-clogging profile, which generally suits oily and breakout-prone skin. The green tint also helps neutralize redness.
Does the Glow Better Instant Cover Green Sunscreen SPF 43 Pa++ leave a white cast?
White cast is generally low despite some titanium dioxide. It sets matte and lightweight, and the green tint adjusts on application.
Is it a good sunscreen?
Protection is rated excellent at SPF 43 PA++ and it scores 82.4/100. The matte finish makes it a strong daily option for shine-prone skin.